Why won’t D.C. fix the sequester now?

In preparation for today’s column, I talked with staffers who work for Democrats and Republicans this week and asked them a simple question: Why can’t Congress act now to pass a bill to make the sequester cuts smart, not stupid?

Obama can hit the links, but not link with Congress

Well, one reason is that Democrats want tax hikes to be part of the package and Republicans refuse to pass a deal with tax hikes. But it shouldn’t be that hard for both parties to find agreement on $85 billion in cuts out of a $3.8 trillion budget. Right? House Majority Leader Eric Cantor proposed these cuts. Senate Democrats have floated this plan. I like the idea of cutting agricultural subsidies. Clearly, there is room in the middle for a deal. What is lacking is the will.

Both parties seem to believe that the sequester will have to begin on March 1 before Washington feels the pressure to put in a smart fix. And then, sources say, something smart could happen. In the meantime, Washington will continue to move to shave defense and discretionary programs, good or bad, because the Budget Control Act, as per the president’s suggestion, requires that Washington not target wasteful spending, but instead implement wrong-headed cuts.